"Alright, alright—you're scaring the guy."
Shiro stepped forward, blocking the trembling Moria behind him. He wore an exaggerated look of helplessness as he said,
"C'mon, little Mo, are you in or not? Give me a clear answer—otherwise, I can't help you!"
"I... I'll join!!"
Moria practically spat the words through gritted teeth.
He knew full well—right now, he had no choice.
"Excellent! That's the spirit!"
Shiro immediately broke into a wide, friendly grin, patting Moria on the shoulder as a sly glint flashed in his eyes.
Moria looked at that grin and sighed inwardly in despair.
"These monsters are too damn strong… If I don't join them, I won't even know how I died!"
One by one, the crew of the Virtue Pirates stepped up to welcome their new "comrade."
When it came to Brook's turn, Moria froze—remembering how he'd once stolen the skeleton's shadow. His gaze darted away, filled with guilt.
But Brook, ever cheerful, simply reached out a bony hand and laughed heartily:
"Yohohoho! What's past is past! From now on, we'll get along—and someday, we'll go peek at ladies' panties together!"
The crew burst into laughter.
"To celebrate our new crewmate—let's have a banquet! Zeff! Get the kitchen ready!"
Shiro's booming voice echoed across the sea.
"Aye-aye, Captain!"
Zeff called back and dashed into the galley, eager to show off his skills.
That night, the deck of the Virtue was lit bright with lanterns and filled with laughter, music, and the smell of grilled meat.
The once-arrogant, prideful Moria seemed like a changed man—humble, cautious, and surprisingly polite. He went around, glass in hand, offering toasts to every member.
Watching this, Shiro nodded approvingly.
"Looks like he's finally grasped what our crew stands for—'conquering others with virtue.' Not bad… not bad at all."
As the party slowly wound down, the sweet scent of fruit wine and roasted meat still lingered in the air.
Leaning against the railing, Shiro rubbed his temples, brushing away a drop of spilled sake. Then, turning toward the helm, he shouted:
"Jinbe! Adjust our course—next stop, Reverse Mountain! Twin Cape!"
"Aye, Captain Shiro!"
Jinbe's deep blue skin shimmered beneath the sunset as he turned the wheel. The massive Virtue slowly shifted its course, slicing through the waves.
Shiro watched as the sails caught the wind, his thoughts drifting.
Half the Grand Line was already behind them—soon, they'd enter the New World.
But his mind wandered to Brook... and to the whale waiting beyond the Red Line.
Laboon.
That giant island whale had waited fifty long years at Twin Cape, keeping a promise to the Rumbar Pirates.
In the original timeline, Brook's reunion with Laboon wouldn't come until the Straw Hats' journey decades later.
But now, Shiro was about to make it happen twenty-one years early.
A smile tugged at his lips.
"Let's end that whale's waiting once and for all."
A few days later, as the Virtue sailed steadily under the clear skies, a newspaper bird flapped down from above, clutching a rolled-up paper in its talons.
Lounging on a deck chair, Shiro cracked one eye open at the sound of wings.
"Been a while since I read the papers… Wonder what kind of mess the world's in now."
He flicked a finger, releasing a tiny burst of Paw-Paw energy.
A soft air pulse zipped upward, neatly cutting the string on the bird's leg.
The startled bird squawked, dropping the paper. Shiro caught it effortlessly, then reached out again—his palm glowing faint pink—to heal the bird's wing where the string had rubbed it raw.
The bird gave him a curious look, then flew off into the distance.
Shiro unrolled the newspaper.
And froze.
The front page headline screamed in massive black letters:
"Shock! Former Roger Pirate 'Tyrant' Jabal Shiro Sets Sail Once More!"
"Unbelievable! The 4.58-Billion Bounty Pirate Rescues Moria from Kaido's Hands!"
Shiro's eye twitched.
"That damn bird Morgans again! Does he do anything but stalk my life?!"
He cursed under his breath, running a thumb along the paper's edge—until his eyes locked onto the number.
4,580,000,000.
His pupils shrank.
"When the hell did my bounty hit four-point-five-eight billion?!"
He stared at the number in disbelief.
Only one man in history—Gol D. Roger—had ever surpassed that.
Sure, the Roger Pirates' bounties had skyrocketed after reaching Laugh Tale and uncovering the truth of the One Piece...
But for his to nearly double in a year? It was absurd.
From the far side of the deck came the crisp clang of steel—Mihawk sheathing his black blade, Yoru.
He'd overheard the outburst.
"Don't be surprised," Mihawk said evenly, his golden eyes cutting toward Shiro. "You humiliated the Navy at Loguetown. You saved Roger from under their noses. The World Government's reputation took a nosedive. Of course your bounty would skyrocket."
The metallic ring of Yoru's sheath echoed across the deck as he walked closer, gaze sharp as a hawk's.
"To them," he said flatly, "you're no longer a man. You're a demon."
Shiro let out a long sigh, tossing the newspaper onto a nearby table.
"Guess I should've seen that coming," he muttered.
After all, he had chopped off Chaton''s arm and freed Tom the Shipwright from Marine custody.
Yeah... that kind of résumé tends to get noticed.
T/N: If you would like to read up to 20 chapters ahead for all my works, check out my P@treon: patreon.com/GhidorahWriter
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